Dean Kremer had a couple of tough innings in terms of pitch count for the Baltimore Orioles against Philadelphia this evening in Sarasota. This by pitch count standards. While his numbers were good, he didn’t pitch as deep into the game as the O’s probably wanted. Kremer’s line: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K.
However Oriole bats picked up the slack. Anthony Santander gave the O’s a 3-0 lead in the last of the first inning with a three-run homer. Ryan O’Hearn followed with a solo shot, and Jorge Mateo’s RBI-single extended the lead to 5-0. This in the first inning.
And it didn’t end there. Gunnar Henderson smacked a two-run homer in the second, extending the lead to 7-0. And folks, that one was a SHOT. Needless to say, Gunnar’s ready for Opening Day.
Philadelphia would get on the board in the third on an RBI-triple by Marsh. Philadelphia would put three additional runs on the board in the sixth and seventh, cutting the lead to 7-4. Yennier Cano surrendered two of those runs, providing maybe one thing to watch – is the bullpen slightly shaky? Personally I say no. But Cano and others had some issues locating their pitches in those middle innings. Time will tell.
But again, the O’s didn’t let that phase them. Jorge Mateo smacked an RBI-double in the last of the seventh, followed by Colton Cowser pushing a run across on a botched fielder’s choice by Philadelphia. When the smoke cleared, the O’s had run the score to 13-4. This included an RBI-single by Heston Kjerstad in the seventh, along with a two-RBI double by Tyler Nevin.
The fact that the O’s kept tacking runs on is a promising sign. Because come the regular season, the opponents won’t be rotating guys in and out, and focusing more on getting their work in than winning the game. So keep adding on runs come the regular season like they did tonight, and they’ll be in good shape.
The O’s travel to JetBlue Park in Ft. Myers tomorrow night to take on Boston. Albert Suarez gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Cooper Criswell. Game time is set for just after 6 PM.
Birdland Crush 